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The Susi Air plane that Phillip Mehrtens was piloting torched by rebels. He has sent a heartfelt message to his family. Photo / TPNPB
The Kiwi pilot held hostage by a Papuan separatist group has sent a heartfelt message to his family, as he hinted the situation could “go on for a long time”.
In a video recording, Phillip Merhtens tells his wife and 10-year-old son: “Try not to worry about me” as he sits surrounded by armed members of the West Papua National Liberation Army.
The Herald has decided not to publish the video.
Mehrtens was taken hostage on February 7 while flying a Susi Air plane carrying five passengers, including a baby, from Mozes Kilangin Airport in Mimika, Central Papua, to Paro Airport in Nduga.
The area is a highly militarised district with a long history of insurgency in the newly named Highland Papua province, a Papua police spokesman said.
This marks the first update on Merhtens since an earlier video showing him standing in a forest surrounded by a group of people armed with rifles, spears, bows and arrows.
In a second video, Merhtens was ordered by the rebels to say, “Indonesia must recognise Papua is independent.”
In the latest video, Merhtens said he has been taken care of “as well as can be expected, given the situation.
“They always give me enough food, water. They provided some warm clothes for me, and any medicines as required due to my lack of conditioning for the long walks we take,” he said.
Addressing his wife and son, Merhtens said: “I love you and miss you both very much. I think about you every day.
“The rest of my New Zealand family, I love you all very much too. Please, try not to worry too much about me. Please, also, be very strong and patient and I hope we can all be together very soon.
“Lots of kisses and hugs, I look forward to when we can be together,” he said.
In a request to his family to check his emails for him, Merhtens hints at how long he expected to remain with his captors.
“This could go on for a long time,” he said.
“With that, can you please try to arrange for any salaries owed to be paid directly to [my wife] so they [my family] have money for food and bills?”
He said he was grateful to have received a message from his family in New Zealand.
“Thank you so much for your video message and all your love and support from yourself and the rest of the family. It means a great deal and I was grateful to receive it.”
Addressing his friend, Merhtens said: “I can’t thank you enough for going to be there with [my wife and son] to help support them. I’ve been really worried about them and it’s a great relief to know you’re there helping them.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is providing consular support to the pilot’s family and said it wouldn’t comment further because of privacy reasons.
West Papua National Liberation Army spokesman Sebby Sambom confirmed the Kiwi pilot was still alive and was being held hostage for the purpose of negotiations with Jakarta in February.
“If Jakarta is obstinate, then pilot will be executed to death,” Sambom said.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he had been given preliminary details and told RNZ the New Zealand embassy in Indonesia was on the case.
Local authorities were investigating and police and military personnel had been sent to the area to find the pilot.
The Susi Air plane that Phillip Mehrtens was piloting torched by rebels. He has sent a heartfelt message to his family. Photo / TPNPB
The Kiwi pilot held hostage by a Papuan separatist group has sent a heartfelt message to his family, as he hinted the situation could “go on for a long time”.
In a video recording, Phillip Merhtens tells his wife and 10-year-old son: “Try not to worry about me” as he sits surrounded by armed members of the West Papua National Liberation Army.
The Herald has decided not to publish the video.
Mehrtens was taken hostage on February 7 while flying a Susi Air plane carrying five passengers, including a baby, from Mozes Kilangin Airport in Mimika, Central Papua, to Paro Airport in Nduga.
The area is a highly militarised district with a long history of insurgency in the newly named Highland Papua province, a Papua police spokesman said.
This marks the first update on Merhtens since an earlier video showing him standing in a forest surrounded by a group of people armed with rifles, spears, bows and arrows.
In a second video, Merhtens was ordered by the rebels to say, “Indonesia must recognise Papua is independent.”
In the latest video, Merhtens said he has been taken care of “as well as can be expected, given the situation.
“They always give me enough food, water. They provided some warm clothes for me, and any medicines as required due to my lack of conditioning for the long walks we take,” he said.
Addressing his wife and son, Merhtens said: “I love you and miss you both very much. I think about you every day.
“The rest of my New Zealand family, I love you all very much too. Please, try not to worry too much about me. Please, also, be very strong and patient and I hope we can all be together very soon.
“Lots of kisses and hugs, I look forward to when we can be together,” he said.
In a request to his family to check his emails for him, Merhtens hints at how long he expected to remain with his captors.
“This could go on for a long time,” he said.
“With that, can you please try to arrange for any salaries owed to be paid directly to [my wife] so they [my family] have money for food and bills?”
He said he was grateful to have received a message from his family in New Zealand.
“Thank you so much for your video message and all your love and support from yourself and the rest of the family. It means a great deal and I was grateful to receive it.”
Addressing his friend, Merhtens said: “I can’t thank you enough for going to be there with [my wife and son] to help support them. I’ve been really worried about them and it’s a great relief to know you’re there helping them.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is providing consular support to the pilot’s family and said it wouldn’t comment further because of privacy reasons.
West Papua National Liberation Army spokesman Sebby Sambom confirmed the Kiwi pilot was still alive and was being held hostage for the purpose of negotiations with Jakarta in February.
“If Jakarta is obstinate, then pilot will be executed to death,” Sambom said.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he had been given preliminary details and told RNZ the New Zealand embassy in Indonesia was on the case.
Local authorities were investigating and police and military personnel had been sent to the area to find the pilot.
